Court Vindicates Tech Billionaire, Leo Stan Ekeh’s Companies In N170m FIRS Contract Fraud

Posted on February 25, 2021

FUNSHO AROGUNDADE

An Abuja High Court has vindicated the long-held position of Zinox Technologies Ltd., and TD Africa, two of Nigeria’s leading technology giants, that its Chairman, Leo Stan Ekeh and its staff, Company Secretary, Barr. Chris Eze Ozims and two others, Shade Oyebode and Charles Adigwe respectively, had no wrongdoing in a long-drawn court case involving a N170 million Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) contract.

The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Jabi, Abuja, on Wednesday discharged and acquitted the duo of Princess Kama Onyeoma and Chief Onny Igbokwe, partners to Mr. Benjamin Joseph, who were accused of fraudulently executing the N170 million contract awarded to Citadel Oracle Concepts, an Ibadan-based ICT firm owned by Joseph.

In addition, the sum of N20 million was awarded as damages against the complainant, Joseph, for frivolous and malicious petitioning and prosecution.

The defendants, Kama, and Igbokwe, were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice Danlami Senchi on October 24, 2018.

The charges followed the petition by Citadel Oracle Concept Limited, and Joseph, its Managing Director, accusing the defendants and their allies of hijacking the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) contract from him in 2012.

Joseph had petitioned the EFCC, the Police and later the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, alleging that his board resolution and other corporate documents were forged to execute the N170 million FIRS contract without his knowledge, even when he appointed the said Princess Kama to execute the contract on his behalf by issuing her a duly executed Power of Attorney and other corporate documents, all presented to the FIRS.

He alleged further that the defendants and other members of a syndicate without his knowledge opened an Access Bank account into which FIRS paid the N70.3million proceeds of the contract.

However, Joseph had also surprisingly accused top officials of TD Africa and Zinox, including its Chairman, Leo Stan Ekeh, of involvement in the alleged fraud, even when Zinox or Ekeh had never met or transacted any business with Joseph.

Kama and Igbokwe were later charged with four counts of conspiracy, making a false board resolution of Citadel Oracle Concept Ltd dated December 14, 2012, “fraudulently or dishonestly” using the board resolution as genuine, forgery of “a document” and using “a forged document” as genuine.

The prosecution led by Jude Obozua called four witnesses to prove their case while the defence called Kama and another witness.

In his ruling, the trial judge, Justice Senchi dismissed the case as lacking in merit, adding that the prosecution failed to establish the case of criminal conspiracy, forgery and fraudulent use of Joseph’s documents as alleged.

Further, the judge acquitted the duo of all four count charges; even as he absolved both defendants, Kama, a long-time associate of Joseph, and Igbokwe of the criminal charges levelled against them by the EFCC.

P.M.EXPRESS learnt that indeed, after winning the contract, Joseph and his partner, Princess Kama had agreed to domicile the FIRS computer supplies transaction worth N170 million with TD Africa, the biggest HP authorised distributors for funding, with a promise to pay immediately they received payment from the FIRS, with additional guarantee from Princess Kama’s uncle, Chief Igbokwe as Citadel Oracle Concepts Ltd. was not qualified to enjoy credit from TD Africa.

When the FIRS paid for the supplies, Joseph had allegedly tried to divert the fund but his partner, Princess Kama refused and paid TD Africa the pre-agreed invoice sum of the laptops supplied on credit.

This move apparently saw Joseph take offence and he resorted to writing all sorts of petitions to allegedly blackmail the Zinox Chairman, accusing him and other top officials of TD Africa, including Ozims, Oyebode and Adigwe; as well as Access Bank of criminally conniving to execute the contract without his knowledge.

However, investigations by the EFCC and the Police had absolved the aforementioned officials of Zinox and TD Africa, with the Commission later charging the staff/representatives of Citadel Oracle Concept Limited, Princess Kama and Chief Igbokwe, due to their own internal issues in Charge no. CR/244/2018 before the FCT High Court.

The ruling by Justice Senchi on Wednesday upheld the unflinching position of Zinox and TD Africa, which had repeatedly insisted on the innocence of its officials, especially in the face of a barrage of alleged sponsored media attacks by Joseph and led by a renowned online news medium.

Recently, the medium had come up with a report claiming that an unsubstantiated Police report had indicted the Zinox Chairman, Ekeh, which had been debunked by the Police Force and on the basis of the same case which Justice Senchi had ruled on Wednesday.

‘‘We are delighted to see justice finally run its course in this long-drawn case,’’ said Reginald Obiakor, a Senior Special Assistant (Legal) to Ekeh. 

‘‘Despite the obviously sponsored attacks and campaign of calumny by Benjamin Joseph, we had remained steadfast in our conviction that Mr. Ekeh, Zinox and TD Africa had no case to answer, as TD had only extended a facility to Citadel and her partners. This case has caused us quite some embarrassment, especially considering the potential damage to the hard-earned reputation of an industrious/exemplary Nigerian and globally respected digital icon who has enjoyed over 35 successful years in business.

‘‘We wish to thank our local and international partners, friends and well-wishers who have continued to show us support, even when the attacks persisted. This judgment further strengthens our belief in the validity of the courts as the bastion of justice and hope of the downtrodden,’’ Obiakor concluded.

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